Wire tightener and stretcher



May 15, 1928. 1,669,678

F. W. SIMMONS WIRE TIGHTENER AND STRETCHER Filed March 10, 1927 A FM 5151111110 Patented May 15, 1928.

UNITED TATES PATENT FRED W. SIMMONS, OF GRAND' ISLAND, NEBRASKA.

WIRE TIGHTENER AND STRETCHER.

Application filed March 10, 1927. Serial No. 174,327.

wires of these panels to be operatively engaged with each other while the fabric of the fence is taut.

A further object is to provide a device of this character having levers so formed that the levers may be used in bending the wires where the wires pass through the loops on one section ofa panel.

My invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings wherein Figure l is a side elevation of a fence tightener constructed in accordance with my invention in use;

Fig. 2 is an elevation of the tightener partly broken away;

Fig.3 is a top plan view of the tightener in use;

Fig. 1 is a rear elevation of the tightener with the wires threaded therethrough;

Fig; 5 is a like view to Figure 4 but showseen that my wire tightening device com rises a pipe 10 which may have any desired length but preferably a length equal to or somewhat greater than the height of the fence to be put up. This'pipe is formed with a plurality of diametrical openings 11 through which the longitudinal strands of a wire fence may be placed and it is also formed with a plurality of openings 12 extending diametrically through the pipe and having a larger diameter than the openings lland a plurality of openings 13 of the same size as the openings 12 extend through the pipe at right angels to the openings 12.

Coacting with these openings are rods or levers 14. having a diametersuch as to fit within the openings 12 and 13 and constitute means whereby the pipe may be rotated. One or more of these levers is preferably formed with ,asemhcircular portion 15 at oneend'having .a bill 15 at its extremity, the bill formed on the end of the semi-circular-portion 15 being disposed atan angle to the plane of said semi-circular portion.

Inone use of this device, the pipe is placed parallel to andagainst a post'to which the wire fence is to be attached. It may be held in this position either by friction or by wireeyes or other suitable means. The wires ,ofthe fence are placed through the openings ,11 and then the pipe 10 is rotated by {means 10f the levers until the wire is stretched to the degree necessary, after which the wires maybe fastened .to ,the post. While this is one manner of .usin this wirestretcher, it is particularly app icable for where two panels ioffence are to be joined between posts. \Vherever much corn is raised, it has been the custom to hog down some of the corn and a woven wire is stretched around that part of the field so used and very few posts are planted as the fence will have to be taken down in a month or so. It is desirable to stretch the fence fabric very tight and practice has shown that it is best to stretch the \wire at the splices between the ends of the length of wire fencing as there is less danger of pulling up the end post which may perhaps be as much as twenty rods away. Furthermore, there is more room to work at a distance from the post as the end post is usually a corner post and has several braces which wvould lnterfere with the proper man1pulation of the stretching device. Under these circumstances loops 16 are formed in the ends of the longitudinal wires 17 of one panel and the longitudinal wires 17 of the other panel are inserted through these loops and through the apertures 11 in the pipe 10. The pipe is then turned in a counter-clockwise direction and to any degree required which will tighten up these wires 17.

. After the longitudinal wireshave been stretched to the degree required, one wire is be unwound and after the wires have been so bent the stretcher may be rolled back and all of the wires released and tied or spliced,

The lever '14: with the crook l and the bill 15 on the end of the crook-15, which bill extends at right angles vto the plane of the crook, is a very important feature of my invention,.as by this means it is possible to take up the slackof the wire not necessarily at the corner end post, as by its means this tensioning, device and wire splicer may be used at the place where the splice is or where the wire broken. The tension in a wire fence is lost in the course of time and the fence wires must be re-stretched in a year or two. A stretcher which can take up the slack at the point where the splice is instead of at the anchor post'is particularly valuz'i'ble' inasmuch as at the anchor post the braces are inthe way, and furthermore the wireis so securely fastened that it takes more time to loosen 1t.- The mannerof using this stretcher l'or the'purpose of stretching the wire at the spliceiis shown in'Figures 5 and 6 and in these figures, as shown, the lever 14 with the crook 15 is disposed in suchposition around pipe 10 that the hook may be engaged with the wire 17 and the'slacktaken out of the wire and the slack held while the free end of the wire is returned upon itself and fastened to form an eye, as shown in Figure 5. I

My device is extremely simple but I have.

i'ounditvery effective for the purpose lI1- tended and that byits means I can secure thoroughly good tension upon the fence \Vll'GS.

I claim 2- y A wire tightener ofthe character described comprising a length of pipe formed with a plurality oi diametrically extending pas sages through which strands of wire may be 1 passe h means for rotat ng the pipe anda lever :l'oi'med at an extremity with an approximately send-circular portion adapted tobe 'disposed to partially embraeeand fit on the pipe, the extremity o-f'the semi-circular portion being formed with a bill extending at an angle to the plane of'the semicircular portion whereby the semi-circular portion may be disposed aroundthe pipe and the bill engaged with a wire passing through the pipe to, thereby take up slackin the wire I and. hold theslack while the free end of: the wire is formed'into an eye; 7

In testimony whereof Thereunto affix my FRED w. SIMMONS] signature. 

